The Arena Football League opens its 30th season on Friday night as a shell of its former self. The AFL has five teams for the 2017, down from eight a year ago and 19 in 2004.

Gone since last season are the Orlando Predators, Jacksonville Sharks, Arizona Rattlers, Los Angeles Kiss and Portland Steel. The returning AFL teams are the Philadelphia Soul, Tampa Bay Storm and Cleveland Gladiators. They're joined by two new teams -- the Baltimore Brigade and the Washington Valor.

The 2017 AFL season kicks off on Friday night with Baltimore and Washington squaring off in the first game for both franchises.

When the AFL opened its 2016 season, it had 15 players from Alabama high schools and colleges on its rosters. This year, that number is down to six.

The Gladiators have wide receiver Larry Brackins of Dothan High School and linebacker Terence Moore of Troy, the Soul has wide receiver Ryan McDaniel of Samford and the Storm has defensive linemen Antron Dillon of North Alabama and Monte Lewis of Abbeville High School and Jacksonville State and defensive back Damond Smith of South Alabama.

What happened to the state's other AFL players? Like a couple of the AFL teams, some moved to other indoor football leagues. The Rattlers are now playing in the Indoor Football League, which started its season in February. Arizona is coached by Kevin Guy, who played at Shelby County High School and West Alabama.

The IFL has 10 teams, including the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles, who allow fans to call their plays via an app.

The IFL features at least 10 players with Alabama roots -- defensive back Tyrell Pearson of South Alabama on the Green Bay Blizzard, defensive back Jamie Bender of UAB on the Iowa Barnstormers, defensive lineman Antonio Gillespie of Troy, defensive back Demetruce McNeal of West Alabama and wide receiver Eric Thomas of Troy on the Nebraska Danger; defensive back Fred Barnes of West Alabama on the Sioux Falls Storm, defensive back Rashad Greene of West Alabama and defensive lineman Seante Williams of Jacksonville State on the Screaming Eagles and quarterback Charles McCullum of Stillman and offensive lineman Clint Marsh of Blount High School on the Wichita Falls Nighthawks.

Williams signed with Auburn in 2000 but ended up at Coffeyville Community College and then played for Southern Miss and Jacksonville State. He's been on NFL practice squads, played in NFL Europe, Canadian Football League and AFL and been an MMA fighter.

McNeal played at Auburn until being dismissed from the team before the 2013 season and landing at West Alabama.

The Jacksonville Sharks, an AFL member last season, are playing in the National Arena League, which started its inaugural season in March with eight teams.

Among the players on NAL rosters are wide receiver Daron Clark of Stillman on the High Country Grizzlies and wide receiver London Crawford of Davidson High School on the Monterrey Steel.